Foldable and packagable window screen



Nov. 25, 1952 s. J. LEVERENCE FOLDABLE AND PACKAGABLE WINDOW SCREENFiled Oct. 50, 1951 flaergz orr qaz/ jf yerezca q 1.21 fl w PatentedNov. 25, 1952 OFFICE FOLD-ABLE AND PACKAG-ABLE -WINDOW SCREEN Stanley.1. Leverence, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 30, 1951, Serial No. 253,853

5 Claims.

. This invention relates to a novel andv useful article. of manufacture,consisting of a foldable and, compactly packagable screen which will.prove especially advantageous for use in screening the open windows ofclosed body or cab types of motor drivenvehicles, though not so limitedin its scope of usage, whereby ventilation of the interiors of theequipped vehicle bodies will be satisfactorily effectedwithout theadmission thereinto of insects and similar pests, and to a beneficialextent, the material reduction of the passage of dust and otherobjectionable airborne matters into the equipped vehicle interiors.

.It is an object of the, invention to provide a screen of the statedcharacter having an uncost- 1y, simple and effective window frameattaching means, being so constructed and connected to the screen as torender it adjustable or variable in size, hence, permitting convenient,quick and taut arrangement or mounting of such screen over automobilebodywindows of different sizes, and when so positioned, offering nointerference with the normal lowering and/or raising or opening and/orclosing of the equipped window glass,

sash, etc.

Also, it is: an object of the invention to provide an automobile bodywindow screen which, when attached to or over a window, will bedependably retained in such position, and when desired, permitted ofeasy and quick removal therefrom and folding or otherwise arrangingv forplacement and keeping inan out-of-the-way, convenientlyavailablestoringspace.

Other objects of the invention will bev in part obviousandin partpointed out hereinafter.

In. order that. the invention and. its mode of operation may be readilyunderstood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains, I have,in the accompanying; drawingsand' in the detailed descriptionbasedthereupon, set out several embodiments of my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure I is a fragmentary side elevation of a portion of one side of aclosed type of automobile body whereinthe window is open and screened bymyinvention; the screenbeing shown as applied to the inner side of thewindow and disposed thereover.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but wherein the screen isapplied to the outside of the window and is disposed thereover.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section, taken throughthat portion of a closed automobile body having a window therein cn andover which myimproved screen ismounted and screen body being broken awayand certain of the individually removable coverings being shown removed.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of a somewhat modified form ofadhesive attaching. means for the improved screen, plus individually andselectively removable coverings for such adhesive marginal attachingportions of said screen, and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, wherein.

a still different form of individually removable coverings for theadhesive attaching means of the screen are illustrated.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and particularly, to. thatform ofthe invention shown in- Figures 1-4. thereof, the same consists of amore or less rectangularly shaped sheet of mesh material or screen I,such for example, as mosquito netting or the like. The shape and size ofthis sheet. generally conforms to that of an average automobile closedbody window, save that when the window is formed with a substantiallytriangular forward end or side. adapted to be closed by a wing, closureglass or frame 2 (see Figures 1 and 2), said sheet has its adjacent andstraight side terminated; in proximity to the normally rearward side of.the. wing.

To permitthe mounting and/ or securing of. the screen material I overthe automobile window, i. e., to be secured to the adjacent sides of theautomobiledoor 3 or body wall smoothly and tautly over. the window, asheet-like fabric or flexible and foldable composition frame 4. ispermanently joined to and extends entirely about the marginal portionsof the screen material I, being contiguous therewith and havingcorresponding sides thereof coated with a satisfactory adhesive, asindicated at 5. Since these adhesive sides 5 are disposed outwardly andlaterally of the marginal.

adjacent portions of the automobile door 3 or body wall and may beconveniently and positively, yet removably joined thereto by pressingthereonto. In this manner, the screen will be retained in its smooth andtautly mounted relation to and over the window, satisfactorily closingthe same to the passage of insects and other airborne bodies or mattersinto the interior of the equipped automobile body, yet permitting of itseffectual ventilation.

The screen material I and frame 4 are flexible and foldable. Hence, theassembly can, when desired, be folded compactly for placement andkeeping in a conveniently accessible storage space.

When the screen is mounted on and over an automobile body window of thetype herein shown, it will be observed that the wing 2 is first swung toits closed position. Thereupon, the forward adhesive side of the frame 4is adheringly joined to and over the juxtaposed side portion of saidwing (see Figures 1 and 2). On windows not formed for wing mounting andreception, as above, the forward adhesive side 5 of the frame is, ofcourse, pressed onto and joined to the adjacent side of the frame, etc.

In order that the adhesive sides 5 of the screen frame 4 will beprevented from undesirably adhering to objects or to themselves and/orportions of the screen, especially, when the screen is not in use, orfolded and packaged, I provide lengths or strips of fabric or otherflexible sheetlike material indicated by the reference numerals 6 and 6.The strips are of different lengths, as will be noted upon reference toFigure 4 of the drawings. They are engaged longitudinally over and alongthe adhesive sides 5 in endwise juxtaposed relation. Certain of theirend portions overlap or overlie the adjacent portions of the juxtaposedstrip, providing finger engaging tabs Ea, whereby to facilitate theirengagement and removal or stripping from the adhesive sides 5, as andwhen desired or required.

Inasmuch as different lengths or areas of the adhesive sides 5 of thescreen frame 4 may be exposed by removal of certain, some or all of thestrips 6 and 6' therefrom, it will be understood and appreciated thatthe length and/or width of said screen and the adhesive exposed sides 5of its frame 4 may be so adjusted or regulated as to accord with orsubstantially correspond to the length and/or width of a window to bescreen covered. Consequently, the device is capable of satisfactoryusage in connection with or on automobile body windows of differentshapes and sizes.

In Figure l of these drawings, it will be noted that the adhesive sides5 of the screen material frame 4 are shown adhering or joined to theframe portions adjacent the inner sides of the screened window. Suchdispositioning or placement of the device is also shown, in full lines,in Figure 3 of the drawings. However, if desired, the improved screenmay be attached or joined to the outer side of the window and/or itsframe, in the manner shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, and in dottedlines in Figure 3 thereof.

In either of its positions of attachment and/or mounting, it will beunderstood that the screen will in no manner interfere with the usualraising and/or lowering of the average automobile window glass or sash.Thus, when the screen is attached 01' joined to an automobile bodywindow, it may remain so positioned until the desire or need for itsusage has passed, whereupon it can be, as hereinbefore indicated,conveniently and quickly removed, and this without damaging the window,its frame or paint or other finish provided thereto.

In Figure 5 of the drawings, I have shown a. slightly modified form ofmeans for attaching my improved screen to and over an automobile bodywindow. In this particular form of the invention, the flexible andfoldable frame 4' has its outer portions extended from and beyond theouter marginal portions of the screen material I. Corresponding sides ofthe outwardly extended portions of said frame are adhesively coated, asat 5. Strips or lengths of fabric or paper tape, or its equivalent,generally indicated by the numeral 1, are laid longitudinally over andalong the exposed adhesive sides 5 in the manner indicated in saidFigure 5. When attaching or installing the improved screen to and over awindow, predetermined portions of the strips '1 may be removed bytearing the same longitudinally therefrom along weakening lines or linesof perforations or slits, generally indicated by the numeral 8. Thus,where the screen is to be applied over and attached to the frame of awindow of comparatively greater area, it is probable that only the outerportions of the strips 7 would be torn or similarly removed therefrom,whereby to expose a lesser amount of the adhesive sides 5', yet entirelysufficient to effect their adhesive positive jointure to, about and overadjacent portions of the window frame; also, to smoothly and tautlyretain the screen material I over the window. Conversely, where a windowis of lesser area than the one above described, greater portions of thestrips '1 may be torn from or the entire strips removed from theadhesive sides 5 of the frame 4, permitting of a greater overlap of theextended portions of said frame 4' with relation to the window framebeing screened, and so, efiecting a smooth and taut dispositioning ofthe screen material I over said window. It will be understood, ofcourse, that the amount or widths of the strip material I removedtherefrom will depend upon the length and/or width of the particularwindow to be fitted or equipped with my improved screen.

Still another, though slightly modified form of attaching means for myimproved screen is shown in Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings. Inthis particular form of the invention, I provide for width and lengthadjustability of the screen product. That is to say, the adhesive coatedsides 5a of the frame 4a have relatively parallel and juxtaposed stripsof tape laid longitudinally over and along the same in a manner clearlyshown, said parallel juxtaposed tapes being collectively identified bythe numeral 9. When it is desired to attach or install the improvedscreen to a window, the approximate size or area of such window havingbeen first deter mined by the user of the device, appropriate numbers ofsaid tapes 9 are stripped from the adjacent portions of the adhesivesides 5a of the frame 4a, exposing sufficient amounts of said sides topermit their secure joining or connection to adjacent portions of thewindow frame, and at the same time, retain the screen material la tautlyand smoothly over the window.

While I have hereinbefore described, with some degree of particularity,my improved screen as being adapted for or used in connection withautomobile body windows, it will be understood that such screen can beas conveniently and as advantageously used to cover the roof formedwindows of commercial vehicles, such as taxicabs, sightseeing buses,etc.; also, the screen may be used to great advantages in covering thewindows of homes or other buildings, all without departing from thespirit or scope of the invention.

The flexible and foldable character of the materials of construction ofmy improved screen are such that the product, constructed as abovedescribed, can be most conveniently, economically and satisfactorilypackaged, and when so packaged, will remain, for indeterminate periodsof time, in effective condition for window usage or installation; and,as hereinbefore described, following such window usage, the device canbe practicably removed therefrom, compactly folded, and placed in aconveniently accessible storage space.

I claim:

1. A window screen, comprising a reticulated body, the outer marginalportions of which are adhesive on certain of the sides thereof, andjuxtaposed strips of material removably contacted with and over saidadhesive sides in parallel relation to each thereof and in substantialparallelism to the edges of said body.

2. A window screen comprising a substantially rectangularly shapedflexible reticulated body, comparatively wide strips of material joinedto and contiguous with the marginal portions of said body having certainof their sides adhesively coated, and a plurality of relatively narrowstrips of material removably contacted with and over the adhesivelycoated sides of the first strips in juxtaposed relation and insubstantial parallelism to the edges of said body and first strips.

3. A window screen, comprising a flexible, foldable sheet-like body, theintermediate portion of which is perforate and the outer portions of 40which are imperforate though of less area than the perforateintermediate portion, corresponding sides of said imperforate portionsbeing adhesive, and a plurality of relatively narrow pieces of materialremovably contacted with and longitudinally disposed over the adhesivesides of the imperforate portions in juxtaposed relation and insubstantial parallelism to the free edges thereof.

4. A window screen, comprising a flexible, foldable mesh body, flexibleand foldable imperforate sheet-like material connected to, contiguouswith and extending from the outer marginal portions of said mesh bodycompletely thereabout, one side of said material being adhesive, and aplurality of pieces of material removably contacted with and disposedover the adhesive sides of said imperforate sheet-like material insubstantially juxtaposed relation.

5. A window screen having the outer marginal portions thereof adhesiveon one side, and a plurality of relatively narrower strips of materialremovably contacted with and over the adhesive outer marginal sideportions of the screen, the aggregate width of said adhesively contactedstrips of material substantially corresponding to the widths of saidadhesive outer marginal side portions to which they are applied andbeing selectively and individually removable therefrom.

STANLEY J. LEVERENCE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,180,541 Roden Apr. 25, 19161,883,421 Stevens Oct. 18, 1932 2,092,914 Griest Sept. 14, 19372,298,783 Burnett Oct. 13, 1942 2,541,971 Thies Feb. 13, 1951

